[rda part deux]

MY FINAL PAPER!! let me know what you all think!

Abstract
This study examines the link between playing interactive video games (Wii Tennis) and the decrease of BMI in college students over a four week period. Applying Wii Tennis as the independent variable and the participant’s BMI as the dependent variable shows that physical activity results in a lower BMI. Researchers have shown that the relationship of inactivity while playing stationary video games correlates with weight gain in participants of younger ages.


This research study shows the correlation of interactive video games and the participants’ BMI. In previous studies, it has been hypothesized that living a sedentary lifestyle can result in weight gain. Researchers have studied the link between childhood obesity and activity level. “Results also indicated that children with higher weight status spent more time in sedentary activities than those with lower weight status” (Vandewater, Shim, Caplovitz., 2004).
In other research, researchers hypothesized that inactivity in elders has also caused weight gain and even death. “Although the physical activity is a very basic lifestyle activity, the physical inactivity has been estimated to cause 1.9 million deaths worldwide annually” (Aslan et al., 2008).
Researchers have studied the link between stationary video games and weight gain in children, and between inactivity and death in elderly, whereas our study explores the actual use of interactive video games leading to a decrease in weight in college students. We predicted that playing Wii Tennis 5 days a week over the course of a four week period will reduce the body’s BMI.

Method
Participants
The participants in this study were college level students ages 18-24. There was no regulation on ethnicity or year of the college student participants. There were 24 total participants, 12 in the control group (participants not playing the Wii) and 12 in the experimental group (participants playing the Wii). Participants who chose to partake in our study were given a survey to discard confounds. We used an equal number of males to females found through Sona Systems and fliers posted throughout the university.
Measures
This study is done by measuring the participants’ mean BMI before and after the four week period. The Body Mass Index formula is (Weight in Pounds/Height in Inches2) X 703. The BMI formula was used from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. We used a scale that calculates in pounds and a tape measure to calculate the height in inches. The Nintendo Wii was used as the physical activity done during the four week period in a controlled setting. Participants played Wii Tennis for thirty minutes daily Monday-Friday and their BMI were calculated each night to average a mean.

Procedure
A survey to discard confounds (see survey 1.1) was posted in locations throughout the university and also through Sona Systems to find the participants. Any participant that did not fit the criteria was discarded. The remaining participants were put in groups of male and female. 12 females and 12 males were chosen at random, and among those 6 females and 6 males were chosen at random for each of the control and the experiment, equaling 24 participants. The participants were asked to maintain their current lifestyle without making any changes and to eat as they would regularly.
For the experimental participants, a room in the university was assigned at six o’clock p.m. Monday through Friday with the chairs cleared of the room to allow maximum space to be utilized. A television and a Nintendo Wii were provided, along with the Wii tennis game. The Nintendo Wii remotes had a protective cover around them so the participants could not harm one another by mistake. They were also asked to stand in a measured three by three square, two in front and two in back to minimize accidents caused by swinging arms. (see table 1.3) The participants were asked to weigh in and to have their height measured each night at six o’clock p.m. Monday through Friday. The data was recorded on a chart for further use. (see table 1.1)
Groups of four participants (for the experiment) were scheduled for two fifteen minute increments. After the first fifteen minutes, they were given an eight ounce cup of water and a five minute rest. After the last session of Wii Tennis, they were given another eight ounce glass of water and were allowed to go home. This regiment continued Monday through Friday for four consecutive weeks.
The control group was asked for their weight and their height every night Monday through Friday at six o’clock p.m. Their BMI was recorded on a chart as well. (see table 1.1) The participants were also asked to not change their usual eating habits and lifestyles. At the end of the research we took each individual BMI before and after the testing and found a mean for each participant. This was also done for the experiment group. (see table 1.2)
We used T-Repeated Measures to identify a difference in the before and after in both the experimental and the control group.

Results
At the end of the research, we took the individual BMI for each participant and added them together to get a mean BMI score. We then added the BMI scores at the end of the experiment to calculate its mean. We used this same procedure for the control group to calculate both the before and after mean. For the experimental group we used the T-Repeated measures to calculate the t-crit to see if it fell within the critical range. We also used this formula for the control group with both groups using an alpha of .05 in a two tailed test. This study expected to see a decrease in the DV’s BMI.

Discussion
This study intended to prove whether or not physical activity using the Nintendo Wii would help decrease one’s BMI. Using the methods implicated above, we are hoping to be able to prove our hypothesis and inspire college students to be more active in their every day lives. This study relates to previous studies about the negatives involved in stationary video games and the resulting increase in BMI. Although, previous studies explored the opposite effects, we are using a physical game rather than just motion with one’s hands while remaining stationary in front of a television. If we were to pick another study, we would use a more physically enduring activity such as Dance Dance Revolution because that involves more physical labor. It has a better chance in increasing heart rate as well as sweat to produce a number outside of the critical range.

[Research Design & Analysis]

I hate this stupid class. I am currently at Betsy's writing my paper for the class. We are suppose to write it in past tense and use all of these stupid psych terms. Ugh, maybe this wasn't the right degree. (yes it is, I'm just complaining)

I will post what I have so far, and update it as I go so you all (whoever is reading) can give me some sort of feed-back.
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Abstract
This study examines the link between playing interactive video games (Wii Tennis) and the decrease of BMI in college students over a 4 week period. Applying Wii Tennis as the independent variable and the participants weight as the dependent variable shows that physical activity results in a lower BMI. Researchers have shown that the relationship of inactivity while playing stationary video games correlates with weight gain in participants of younger ages.


This research study shows the correlation of interactive video games and the participants BMI. In previous study, it has been hypothesized that leading a sedentary lifestyle can result in weight gain. Elizabeth A. Vandewater studied the link of childhood obesity and their activity level. “Children with higher weight status played moderate amounts of electronic games, while children with lower weight status played either very little or a lot of electronic games.” (Vandewater, 2004)
In other research it has been hypothesized that inactivity in elders has also caused weight gain and even death. “Although the physical activity is a very basic lifestyle activity, the physical inactivity has been estimated to cause 1.9 million deaths worldwide annually.” (Aslan et al., 2008)
Researchers have done studies on the link of stationary video games causing weight gain in children, and inactivity in elderly leading to death, whereas our study shows the actual use of interactive video games decreasing weight in college students. We predicted that playing Wii Tennis 5 days a week will reduce the body’s BMI over the course of a 4 week period.

Method
Participants
The participants in this study were college level students ages 18-24. There was no regulation on ethnicity or year of the college student participant as long as they were in the age bracket. There were twenty-four total participants, twelve in the control group (participants not playing the Wii) and twelve in the experimental group (participants playing the Wii). Participants who chose to partake in our study were given a survey to discard confounds. We used an equal number of males to females found through Sona Systems and fliers posted throughout the university.

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That's all I have so far. I still have Measures, Procedure, Results, Discussion, and References to write out. Just to let you know, I have to write it in past tense as if I've already done my study, even though I am conducting my experiment next semester. At least next semester, I will just have to revise my paper. UGH, I HATE THIS!!! blah. Hopefully this paper is at least interesting. Everyone else's is SO boring! :)

[home part deux]

Here I am.

I just bought a charger for my computer.. I can't say I'm ecstatic that I won't get it until Wednesday or Thursday of next week because of the Holiday tomorrow. I guess it doesn't do me any good because my presentation is due on Tuesday. I suppose I will spend my last few days of vacation at Betsy's so I can do my power point and work on my paper. At least she will be able to give me some advice on how my presentation looks and flows. I could always use a second opinion.

This will be the first time a few months David and I will have spent more than 1 day apart from one another. It is a nice break so we don't rip each others throats out, although we have been getting along pretty well regardless.

I went and saw Twilight with Betsy and some of her friends. It was nice to go out but I was really tired by the time I got home. As dorky as it sounds, I was kind of disappointed that they didn't show the HP6 trailer at the film last night. I just got done with reading the book for the 2nd time and was a bit excited to kind of visually see what I read. I am not looking forward to the Inferi though.. *all of you HP fans know what I'm talking about*

I am going to the laundry mat today. I suppose this is why I am writing here, just trying to avoid going. I hate sitting there and waiting. I feel like it is wasting my day. I will spend the next 3 hours there, as soon as I leave. I guess I could call Betsy... but I don't want to bother her. This will at least give me some time to continue reading HP7. I just forget how great the books are.

[twilight]

It. Was. Amazing.

David and I just can't seem to get along when it comes to this movie. He constantly feels inferior to Edward Cullen (a fictional character) and I don't know how many times I can say it but it's just a movie and just a book. I said that one scene was "hot" and he got all upset because he's assuming I'm in love with Robert Pattinson. Whatever, I guess he will just never understand how much I really do love him (David). There are some things you just can never get through to people.

I can't wait to go home for Thanksgiving. I do have a lot of homework that I need to work on but it will all get done in due time. I need a new computer or a new charger/battery or something. David's computer sucks at home. (I'm at the school's library.)

I have 2 tests today. I already took my lifespan test and now I have a spanish test in about 30 minutes. Oh joyous day.

[home]

I miss Kansas City. I miss my family. I miss everything about it. I miss making $10 an hour and being able to go and do things, see things... Warrensburg is just so... boring.

Today it began to snow. I took Ozwald outside to go to the bathroom and I yelled at David to come outside. The only thing nice about Warrensburg in the Fall/Winter is how pretty the campus looks. I haven't even been here 6 months and already I'm counting the days to when I can leave this place.

Today is day 2 of being off of work. I go in tomorrow for an hour with David to just take care of the animals, then back to regular scheduling Monday.

I wanted to make this post for my sister.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST SISTER IN THE UNIVERSE! I LOVE AND MISS YOU WITH EVERY PIECE OF MY HEART ASHLEY!! :)

[depressed]

I knew my happiness wouldn't last. It didn't even last over a week. Things were going swimmingly and now everything is turning into a big pile of poop.

The biggest concern I have is that my laptop has shot. It won't even turn on. My charger was kind of broken and I needed a new battery because the charger wouldn't charge it, and now.. here I am with a computer that won't even turn on now. A new charger will cost me $125 and a new battery will cost me $100. Is it even worth it to spend that kind of dough on a computer I've had for almost 3 years now? It's had so many problems and I've spent $200 dollars on a new battery and charger last year.. I feel like I should just save up and buy myself a new one but with what money?

Now, my dogs teeth are rotting out of his head. I am taking him to Dr.Means (the best vet in town) and he is cleaning them. I need to update all of his shots and have his humongous nails trimmed down. There is another $100 down the drain.

My other animal stepped on a cactus and infected his foot so I waited at Dr.Means office from 8:30 to 11:30 just so he could tell me that he needs to sedate him and cut out a piece of cactus. There goes another $50. Yay for my life.

And then David needed to go to work by 10:45 and we were still at the vet. So, I was begging all of my friends for ANYONE to pick me up and didn't get a single response back. I called everyone, left text messages and got nothing. So.. I had to give up my wait in line to take David to work, only to arrive and my spot be taken by someone else... So I had to wait another 45 minutes before I could even SEE the vet. Life is awesome!

I just can't get ahead. I know there are people worse off than me right now but I can't help but feel down in the dumps.

There is a million and one things I need to do, including seeing the doctor myself for these awful cramps I'm getting on my right ovary. Lets hope I don't have a horrible cyst that is about to explode.

I have Oz back and he will not stop peeing all over everything, pooping on the carpet and barking so loud that the neighbors are complaining. Why does my life suck so bad right now?

I hate all of this right now.

[fly]

Today has been the first day in months that David and I have had a day off together. This is what we've done so far today..

yup. :) bliss

[history]

Say Hello to the 44th President of the United States of America

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!

Today is the start of a new beginning. We can end the hate, racism and freaking end the stupid republican reign.

See. Voting does make a difference!!!!

[barack and roll]

I am so sick of all of the college students/people my age who don't vote. It seriously gets on my nerves.

This person I saw makes me laugh. "....thinks all of you are ridiculous and can't wait for today to be over." PUH-LEASE!! You are just a thoughtless retard doesn't mean everyone who is excited to see this country turn around is ridiculous. Grow up, seriously. And, all of the people my age who don't vote to try and be "against the system," are just as stupid. Be involved in politics.. it involves everyone whether you like to believe it or not.

VOTE, everyone.

I did! And I am SOOO excited to find out [Obama] who wins. :) I still believe that every vote counts.

[happiness]

I am so happy right now. :)

[two years]

On Halloween it was David and I's 2 year anniversary. Everyone was like, "Did you get the rock yet?" The answer is no. Definitely not ready for something like that! We can't even decide what to eat for dinner without a fight :o) hehe.

We decided to keep it very simple. We went to eat Chinese at King Chef's buffet which was VERY good :) We loved it! Then we came home and Megan stopped by to give us presents on our anniversary!!! (she is so sweet) haha! Then we watched Dragon Ball Z The Tree of Might. I fell asleep around 11 PM. I know, I know we are so lame.

Anyway -- that was our evening. Now, we are off to work... We work until 5PM tonight. Then, relaxation.

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This is David and I's new song. I know my MOM will enjoy this.



JUST CLICK PLAY IN THE CENTER OF THE VIDEO!!
Lyrics continue below.

You're a falling star. You're the get away car. You're the line in the sand when I go too far. You're the swimming pool on an August day and you're the perfect thing to say. And you play it coy but it's kinda cute. Ah, when you're smile at me you know exactly what you do. Baby don't pretend that you don't know it's true. Cause you can see it when I look at you.

And in this crazy life and through these crazy times. It's you, it's you. You make me sing. You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.

You're a carousel, you're a wishing well, and you light me up when you ring my bell. You're a mystery, you're from outer space, you're every minute of my everyday.

And I can't believe that I'm your man. And I get to kiss you baby just because I can. Whatever comes our way we'll see it through, and you know that's what our love can do.

And in this crazy life and through these crazy times. It's you, it's you. You make me sing. You're every line, you're every word. You're everything. You're every song and I sing along cause you're my everything.